THE CALL: POLICING THE POLICE

The images coming out of Ferguson, Missouri in the aftermath of the Michael Brown shooting have left us with an undeniable unease over the surprising amount of power held by these police officers. Seeing the crisis in Ferguson unfold highlighted just how militarized some of our local police departments have become with grenade launchers, armored vehicles, sniper rifles and more at their fingertips. Truth be told – it’s scary.

Even more disturbing is the thought that any one of us is in danger of a similar tragedy after a questionable encounter with law enforcement. So the question remains: what can be done right now to prevent another Michael Brown?

There is a relatively affordable and simple solution: body cameras. These little wonders of technology are already in use in many cities across the United States.

L.A.P.D. Chief Charlie Beck press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, states Los Angeles police officers will begin to wear lapel cameras to record their actions and those they encounter in the field.

For years police departments both big and small have used body cameras with astounding results. A one-year study conducted by criminal experts found an 88 percent decline in complaints about officer misconduct and a 59 percent decline in police brutality. The American Civil Liberties Union has done extensive research and found that body cameras benefit both citizens and police by eliminating he-said-she-said situations – not to mention by potentially saving taxpayers and cities money in costly lawsuits.

While it’s not a complete solution, it’s the right start in making sure someone is policing the police. That’s why we’re asking you to sign this White House petition requiring body cameras (like Go-Pros™) to be worn by all police as part of their uniform. The goal is to get 100,000 signatures by September 11, 2014.

There’s no time like the present. Oh, and don’t forget to share this petition on Facebook and Twitter.